Princeville, North Carolina
Princeville is a town of 1,619 people in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, founded in 1865.
Why visit Princeville
Townapedia lists 15 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails, 10 places to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Coats House, Cotton Press and The Links at Cotton Valley.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 30°F.
Weather in Princeville
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Princeville
Princeville is a town in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, United States established by freed slaves after the Civil War. It was established in 1865 and known as Freedom Hill. It was incorporated in 1885 as Princeville, the first independently governed African American community chartered in the United States.
From the Wikipedia article Princeville, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks15
Coats House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Cotton Press
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Wooden cotton press in Tarboro, North Carolina
Edgecombe Agricultural Works
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Factory in Tarboro, North Carolina
Oakland Plantation
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Princeville School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic school building in North Carolina, United States
Quigless Clinic
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Hospital in North Carolina, United States
Railroad Depot Complex
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Railway station in Tarboro, the United States of America
Redmond-Shackelford House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Tarboro Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic district in Tarboro, North Carolina
The Barracks
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
The Grove
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic house in Tarboro, North Carolina
Walston-Bulluck House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
3 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Restaurants and cafes10
Jin Jin Chinese Restaurant
Restaurant · 0.8 mi
Mo-We 11:00-22:30; Th-Sa 11:00-23:30; Su 12:00-22:30
YumYum Shop
Restaurant · 0.5 mi
116 Commercial Road, Princeville
Bojangles'
Fast food · Chicken · 1.2 mi
101 Market Centre Drive, Tarboro
Su-Th 05:30-22:00; Fr,Sa 05:30-23:00
Papa John's
Fast food · Pizza · 1.1 mi
102 River Oaks Drive, Tarboro
Mo-Th 11:00-21:30; Fr 10:30-22:00; Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:30
Where to stay1
Surestay Plus Hotel by Best Western Tarboro
Motel and hotel · 1.1 mi
102 Market Center Drive, Tarboro
History
As the American Civil War reached its conclusion, formerly enslaved African Americans sought refuge at a temporary Union encampment south of Tarboro, North Carolina along the Tar River. With the assistance of the Freedmen's Bureau, these inhabitants developed their own makeshift settlement at the site and chose the name Freedom Hill in recognition of a small raised area where a Union soldier first announced the Emancipation Proclamation. The land on which they stayed was owned by two white planters, John Lloyd and Lafayette Dancy. There is no evidence that the two ever attempted to remove the freedmen from their properties, probably owing to the initial presence of federal troops and the poor quality of the land, which frequently flooded. The community suffered heavily from poverty during its early years, receiving limited federal aid until the Freedmen's Bureau withdrew from North Carolina in 1869. During the Reconstruction era, inheritors of Lloyd's parcel sold their property to planter Henry W. Shaw. Shaw began selling plots to the freedmen for low prices, though some residents continued to live as squatters. Black holdings grew near the Tar River bridge and more homes were built.
From the History section of Princeville, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship7
Calvary Episcopal Church and Churchyard
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Eastern Star Baptist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Calvary Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 0.8 mi
411 East Church Street, Tarboro
Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Church
Church · Catholic · 1.3 mi
1004 Saint David Street, Tarboro
Saint Luke's Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 0.8 mi
301 Panola Street, Tarboro
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Map of Princeville
65 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 30°F | 3.3 in | 1.9 in |
| Feb | 55°F | 32°F | 3.0 in | 0.9 in |
| Mar | 62°F | 38°F | 3.7 in | 0.1 in |
| Apr | 72°F | 47°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 79°F | 57°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 86°F | 66°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 70°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 69°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 63°F | 6.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 73°F | 50°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 63°F | 40°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 55°F | 34°F | 3.4 in | 1.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Tarboro 1 S Hcn (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Edgecombe County has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-06: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2021-03-03: Tropical Storm Eta (Severe Storm)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Als Airport (NR40) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Tarboro 2 mi northwest, about 3 min by car
- Pinetops 9 mi southwest, about 15 min by car
- Bethel 10 mi southeast, about 16 min by car
- Rocky Mount 17 mi west, about 27 min by car
- Elm City 19 mi west, about 31 min by car
- Dortches 20 mi northwest, about 33 min by car
- Farmville 21 mi south, about 33 min by car
- Greenville 22 mi southeast, about 36 min by car
- Enfield 22 mi north, about 35 min by car
- Wilson 25 mi southwest, about 40 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.